The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-02-04

know, mother" and the daughter
smiled and looked Up to her sailor
trustfully.
Indeed it is, and a sorry and heart
breaking way it has been for the wom-
en-. Not only in our family, but in
all the seamen's families is it true.
For thirty years I've known this port,
and of all its sailors that have died IN
that time not one out of four has died
in his bed. But the Lord wills it, and
may you be happy" .
"When | knew | was to be master o I
the Chevalier." said John Sturdy. 81
did not think l should quit her for
ten years at least. I'm a sailor, and
love the sea. with all its perils; but
now, if Thankful asks me to quit it for
her, I'm ready"
Indeed, then, / do ask you"
But only at the end OF this voyage.
Ny word has been given to the own.
ers, and I can not break it. The time
will be short; let us live in hope OF ii"
"Ah, this one last voyage!" sighed
Mrs. Benson ruefully. pray God it
may fare better than that other last
voyage"
The Chevalier sailed in March. The
parting was q hard one; quite as
hard to the man as to the maid. 1t
need not be told why it was hard for
her to give her young loves dream to
the cruel chances of the sea; OF him it
must be said that, as love came late,
it came strong as well.
Don't go, Jack" she pleaded amid
her sobs. II know it's selfish, but |
can't help it. Don't leave me. Ishall
never see you again if you do"
Her distress, her unbounded love
appealed to him powerfully. His res
olution was severely shaken. Nothing
but the sailors ingrained honor and
habitual self-discipline held him back
as he said:
"For heavens sake, Thankful, don't
tempt me away from duty! leave
you only because l must; but the time
will be short. All our arrangements
are for a short voyage; expect me
back by the next New Year. shall
hasten everything for your sake
She went to a sleepless bed that
night. In the morning after her IA
theirs glass showed her the Chevalier
far out at sea. For many days she
went about heavy hearted. Her moth
er watched and pitied her and her own
heart bled afresh.
But youth is the season OF hope
and love is it's twin, and as the
months of that Spring and Summer
went by, the girl felt more and more
as though she were only enduring a
brief probation to lifelong happiness.
News had reached her of the C1avalier
and her beloved. First came a letter
from Rio, full 0 flove and promise; then
an incoming whaler reported speak.
ing the Chevalier in the far South
Atlantic, and that all on board were
we'll, and then O letter from Lima. All
was well, time was flying, the promised
time for the reunion was approaching.
There is rarely, yet sometimes,
q New England Autumn when the mel
low Indian Summer is prolonged from
November far into December and the
yearfades away in days o fveiled sun
shine; when nature seems in a dream
and Winter is held back by some
strange spell. Down to the first day
of January there was neither snow
nor frost; a ~silvery mist sat upon the
sea; the DAYS were like May days, but
with a softaned tempered sun; the
nights were balmy and glorious. AS
Thankful and her mother sat outside
the cottage they could see lights from
the town and the bay. The sounds Of
laughter and talking came up to them,
everything seemed under a spell.
So it was on that New Years Eve
They sat there late talking of the
dead-of the absent-hardly daring
to talk of the future. The night was
bright and starlight; everything was
visible, yet indistinct. At that place
and time nobody had been abroadfol
an hour. All were at home keepins
New Years Eve. Just then Thankful
directed her mothers attention to 8
figure advancing slowly up the slope
toward the cottage.
"Where?" asked Mrs Benson. g.
don't see it,"
"Why, there?" said Thankful, with
outstretched finger. "It's a man
He's coming this way. He-he looks
like Jack"
She started up and advanced tt
meet him. Mrs. Benson strained he.
| eyes, but could see nothing like q hu
man figure. She saw Thankful I'D
vance a few PAGES, stretch out he
| arms as if to embrace some one, ant
| then fell senseless to the ground.
When Mrs. Benson carried her i,
and revived her, she started up an,
| cried for Jack.
my dear child, be CALM" said tn
mother. HE is not here. He ha
not been here"
eyes, yesl-he wasl Isaw him-I al
most touched him. He came close u